Fake box



Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET Al. 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19, 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet l -FARE BOX 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 19. 1950 INVENTORS EDWARD W. HAAS DONALD L. BROWN ATTORNEYS E. W. HAAS ET Al- FARE BOX l5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 19, 1950 S-TOKIN 1N VENTORS EDWARD W. HAAS L. BRowN DONALD ATTORXEHS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL FARE BOX l5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 19. 195C) v INVENTORS EDWARD W. HAAS DONALD L. BROWN am@ MW ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL 2,685,406

FARE Box Filed Sept. 19, 1950 15 Sheets-sheet 5 INVENTORS EDWARD W. HAAS DONALD L. BROWN ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET A| 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19, 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS EDWARD W. HAAs DONALD l..A BROWN ATORNEYS Aug- 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19, 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet 7 lmENToRs EDWARD W HMS DONALD L. BRQWN ATTOR NEYS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL FARE BOX 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 19, 1950 INVENTORS 5 .N a sw.N HB m NLA D w Rw. AA WN D O EDMH/ Y B Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL. 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19, 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS F.- EDWARD W. HAAS 'lf' 'Z7 DONALD L.. BROWN BY M MYQW ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET Ar. 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19. 1959 l5 Sheets-Sheet lO 532.33 INVENTORS 525- 52:52.- EDWARD- W. HAAS 523 DONALD L. BROWN F-i -25@ BYMMYQWW j I ATTORNYS Aug. 3, 1954 E, w, HAAS ET AL 2,685,406

FARE BOX Filed Sept. 19. 1950 l5 Sheets-Sheet ll EDWARD W. HrAsv P17151 DONALD L. BRowN BY M11/SLW ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL FARE Box l5 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 19, 1950 NVENTORS EDWARD W. HAAs DoNALD BY M L. BROWN ATTORN E HS Aug. 3, 1.954 E. w. rHAAS ET AL FARE BOX 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Sept. 19. 1950 INVNTORS W. HAAs EDWARD DONALD l.. BROWN MMQLW ATTORNEYS All@ 3, .1954 v E. w. HAAS ET AL 2,685,406

FARE Box Filed Sept. 19, 1950 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTORS EDWARD `W. HAAs DONALD L. BRDwN ATTORNEXS Aug 3, 1954 E. w. HAAs ET AL FARE BOX 15 Sheets-Sheet 1E Filed Sept. 19, 1950 F i .f3.5

` INVENTORS A o AR H B WL D D w N D O. E@

l ATTORNBS Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATNT OFFICE Ohio, assignors to Rockwell Register Company, a corporation of New York Application September 19, 1950, Serial No. l85,532

1 9 Claims.

This invention relates to coin sorting and registering devices of the type used on street cars, buses and the like, ordinarily called fare boxes.

Such fare boxes are provided to fare collections, to record fares collected and to check dishonesty, and are of several types, ranging from a simple lock box wherein deposited coins fall into a locked box out of reach of the operator, to the substantially fully automatic type such as shown in the Patent No. 2,238,575 issued to F. F'. Daugherty on January 4i, 194A in which after registration, the fares are made available to the operator by sorting and distribution in a convenient cha-nge maker.

The present invention comprises improvements in fare boxes or" the type shown in said Daugherty patent. While the box of said patent is a substantial improvement over the earlier boxes, it has been found to be subject to certain disadvantages in operation, particularly in its vulnerability to deliberate jamming by use oi bent tokens, coins and slugs, and by imposing excessive coin loads on the mechanism in orner to -disable the 'cox 'to permit the operator to malte direct fare collections Without registration. The mechanism of Daugherty box is also such as to receive slugs, buttons and the like more readily than is desirable under practical operating conditions without rejection, and its cost in construction and maintenance and service requirements limits its market rorn a competitive View point.

It is accordingly a primary object of our in vention to provide a new and improved simpliied lower motor driven and manually controlled fare box ich is less subject to jamming than the prior boxes.

Another object is the provision of novel slug rejection that prevents the discharge from the hopper of bent coins, buttons, or other objects that would jam the gaging or sorting mechanism.

A further object is the provision of a novel fare box embodying improved coin inspection zone and a coin dumping mechanism that when actuated also initiates operation of the motor that drives the fare box.

Another object is, to provide a simplined motor circuit, which. assures that all ci the acceptable coins or tokens discharged by the dumping mechanism into the hopper are sorted and registerecl before the motor stops to prevent jaroming by dumping heavy coin loads into the hopper.

A still further object is the provision in the coin chute from the hopper, of a metering control for the flow of coins from the hopper which main- IS (l Lil) 2 tains the motor circuit closed as long as there is a coin or token in the hopper.

Still another object is the provision in the mechanism driven by the motor, of an overload clutch that prevents damage to the mechanism by permitting operation of the motor ii the mechanism should be jammed.

Another object is the incorporation into the gaging, sorting and registering mechanism of adjustable elements that take care at low cost ci variations due to manufacturing tolerances and the like, thereby reducing costs of production.

Another object is the provision of a simpliiied spring pressed one piece coin gate that assures the singling of coins discharged from the coin chute.

In attaining the foregoing, among other improvements, our invention provided with mechanism controlled by the operator to initiate a series of registering cycles after he has visually inspected the coins that have been held in an inspection receptacle. By means of a plunger actuated by the operator the coins are dum ed into a hopper from which they pass into a singling and sorting device. The mechanism within the fare box is driven by an electric motor started in response to movement of the plunger, and other switches maintain the circuit to the motor closed until all of the coins dropped into the hopper have been singled and sorted, after which the motor will stop until its circuit is closed by actuation oi the plunger.

Novel mechanism is also provided in the chute between the hopper and the coin gaging mechanism to prevent the entrance into the coin gaging mechanism of buttons, slugs or coins or tokens that are bent to such a degree as to jam the coin gaging r sorting mechanism. This mechanism in its preferred embodiment comprises a roller which rotates to frictionally engage such objects and throw them baci; up into the hopper. A contact pin alternately projected up into the coin chute and depressed by the operation of the fare box, is insulated from the chute, and when a coin engages it, a parallel circuit to the motor is closed, to assure further operation of the motor. The contact pin actuated in timed response to movement o the coin singling ram, and when it projects into the coin chute it blocks the passage of coins to the mechanism. It thus also serves as a metering mechanism to permit the passage or single coins to the coin singling and gaging mechanism.

An improved clutch mechanism is also preferably provided between the motor and the main drive shaft which prevents damage to the mechanism if a jam occurs, permitting the motor to rotate while the rest of the mechanism remains stationary. En the preferred embodiment, the gaging mechanism is connected to the sorting and registering mechanism through a gear and rack system, and means are incorporated between the gage mechanism and the gear and rack to adjust the mechanism to take care of manufacturing tolerances etc.

The simplified spring pressed one piece coin gate cooperates with the coin ram and the gaging mechanism to assure the passage of but one coin at a time through the gaging mechanism, and

also that the coin lies dat at the time it is being gaged.

A niotor instead of a solenoid is used with a simplified wiring system and elimination of relays and condensers required with a solenoid which lowers the cost and service requirement and increases the reliability and freedom from jamming of the box in operation.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevation of the preferred fare box of our invention looking directly at the change maker, and with a portion of the cabinet broken away.

Figure 2 is a side elevation as viewed from the right of Figure l, and partly broken away to expose internal elements.

Figure 3 is a partial top plan View with the cabinet removed, and showing the coin hopper.

Figure 3a is a view showing a holding switch and actuating cam.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure 3. as viewed from the right of Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along line 5 6 of Figure 3 or or" Figure 8, showing the chute through which the coins pass from the hopper to the singling device.

Figure '7 is a bottom plan view of the coin hopper.

Figure 8 is a partial sectional view along line 3--8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the preferred coin stop pin assembly as viewed from the right of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the preferred coin hopper, showing the main control switch that is actuated by the coin dump mechanism.

Figure 11 is a vertical section through the spring pressed coin gate, taken along the line Il-i! of Figure 7.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine showing the coin ram assembly and coin gage.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the coin ram assembly shown in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a front elevation of Figure 12 and showing other associated elements.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of Figure 14 as seen from the right thereof.

Figure 16 is a top plan view somewhat similar to Figure 12, but with some parts omitted and other parts shown.

Figure 17 is a iront elevation of Figure 16.

Figure 18 is a side elevation of Figure 17 as viewed from the right of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a side elevation of Figure 1'7 as viewed from the left of Figure 17.

Figure 19a is a view of a portion of Figure 19,

as seen from a position degrees removed from the viewpoint of Figure 19.

Figure 2o is a bottom plan View of the clutch assembly of Figure 19, showing a disengageable ratchet drive.

Figure 21 is a perspective view looking toward the top side of the driving elements of a preferred overload clutch.

Figure 22 is a top plan view of the driven element that cooperates with the driving assembly of Figure 21.

Figure 22a is a top plan View of a cam, showing its prole.

Figure 23 is a top plan view of the hinged plates which retain the coins or tokens within the glass window GS for inspection, and which are hinged for dumping them.

Figure 24 is a view of a portion of Figure 16, but with some parts omitted.

Figure 25 is a side elevation of the gage rack and sorter cam assembly.

Figure 25 is a top plan view of Figure 25.

Figure 27 is a side elevation, substantially enlarged, of the sorter cam.

Figure 28 is a top plan view of the sorter leaf.

Figure 29- is a front view of the counter assembly.

Figures 30 and 31 are side elevations of Figure 29 as viewed from the left and right respectively.

Figure 32 is a section along line 32-32 of Figure 29.

Figure 33 is a top plan view of Figure 3l.

Figure 34 is a section along line Sil-34 of Figure 29.

Figure 35 is a partial view showing the mechanism operated by the locking key.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the preferred fare box includes an exterior cabinet 58 which encloses the internal mechanism. The cabinet is secured to the internal frame 5I (Figure 15) by a pair of outwardly spring pressed pins .72 and 53 that pass through aligned openings 5ft in opposite sides of the cabinet near the forward bottom portion thereof. At the lower rear side (Figure 2) a rod 55 passes completely through the opposed side walls of the cabinet and through a series of aligned holes 56 (Figure le) in the frame. On the other side or the cabinet (Figure 14) is a key actuated latch arm '5l that is rotatable by the key to a locking position where a notch in the lower left end of the arm 5'! engages a reduced section 55 in. the rod 55 thereby preventing removal ci the rod 55 unles a key is inserted in the locis 59 to turn the arm 5! clockwise. Locking of the cabinet is accordingly accomplished by turning the key counter-clockwise.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the bottom of the frame 5l is secured by bolts 62 to a base $3 having a cylindrical boss ES! which receives a post or pedestal 6d that supports the fare box at the proper height above the i'ioor. A hand-screw is indicated at 65 for actuating a clamping mechanism (not shown) to secure the base B3 to the pedestal E4.

The cabinet is rectangular in horizontal crosssection, and at its upper end (Figures 1 and 2) four similar handles 5E protrude upwardly and inwardly to where they meet an integral central ring El. The top wall of the cabinet also slopes inwardly and upwardly toward a central round opening 68. This opening 68 forms a guide for a cylindrical glass window or inspection glass 39 that at its upper end is received in an annular channel 72 in the central ring l.

Also seated in the channel T2, above the Window E9 and a gasket 'I3 is an annular plate I4 that provides a structural support for three pairs 15, 'IFS and 'il oi hinged baille plates all of which normally depend downwardly as shown in Figure 1 from a structure comprising opposed pairs of vertical side walls 'i8 and 1S and from a central upwardly pointed fixed baffle member 82 carried by the aforesaid pair of vertical walls 'I8 and having a ridge Sil perpendicular to the plane of Figure l.

Resting upon and secured to the top of the central ring @l is a coin receiving member 83 that has a downwardly and inwardly flaring wall B4 to guide deposited coins to a central slot This slot S5 is rectangular and disposed with its longest dimension over the ridge 8S of the pointed baille member so that a coin dropping through the slot 8i will be diverted to the right or left by the ridge SS, as viewed in Figure l.

The function of the xed and hinged baille assembly is to prevent the removal of unregistered coins from the fare .box by inverting it. The lower edges of each of the hinged baiiie members is saw toothed as shown at 86 in Figure 2. A pair of screws, only one of which is shown at Si in Figure 2, pass through the annular plate 'lli and are threaded into the coin receiving member 83, to secure clamp member 83 to the top of the ring and to the plate lll.

In order to prevent the entrance of slugs, checks, o1- coins too large in diameter to be handled by the fare box, a gauge disc 88 (Figure 2i is secured to the bottom surface of member 83 as by a pair of screws, only one of which is shown at iii). This disc 33 has a rectangular slot 92 in alignment with the slot 85 of member 83 and the length of the slot is predetermined by the diameter of the largest coin intended to be han' died by the fare box. For example if the fare box is not intended to handle quarters, a disc 8B having a slot too short to pass quarters will be used. Thus if a quarter, half dollar etc. is deposited in the member 83 it will not ce able to get past the gauge disc 88 and into the fare box to iam it. Instead, it will remain in member 83 from which it can be removed by hand. The gauge disc 83 may be changed for any other disc, depending upon the maximum diameter coin intended to be handled by the fare box. The cylindrical window Se is retained in position against the channel l2 by a retaining ring e3 and gasket dii, secured the lower edge of the windev-J as by screws 95.

The coins pass inside the window 65 are retained therein for inspection by the operator, for dumping therefrom into the fare box for register :Ig and sorting, by a mechanism now to he described.

Referring to Figure 2, an actuating rod or shaft S6 is journalled for longitudinal sliding move'- ment in a pair of bearings i mounted in the sloping top wall of the cabinet, and in a fixed member dil suitably secured as by screws or the like to the opposite side of the sloping cabinet top wall. The shaft Siti has a reduced section 99 upon which is mounted a compression coil spring tu@ that resiliently urges the shaft 913 to the left as viewed in Figure 2. A push knob or handle is mounted on left end of the shaft 95 where it protrudes beyond the top outer cabinet wall. Thus the shaft 96 can be pushed to the right, but soon as the handle |63 is released it will move back to the left end of its stroke under the influence of spring IDB.

A shaft Ille (Figures l and 2) is mounted above the actuating shaft 96 for pivotal movement in a vertical plane about a pivot |65 carried by the fixed member 98. The normal position of shaft 196 is horizontal as seen in Figure 2, but as will be explained, pushing in on the handle IGS will raise the shaft H14 in a vertical plane, while pivoting about IE5, to a raised position indicated in dotted lines at IGS in Figures l and 2. Two bell cranks |37, only one of which is shown in Figure 2, have their apexes pivotally connected to the actuating shaft 9E by a through pin |03, there being one bell crank on each opposite side of the shaft The longer leg E99 of each bell crank lill is pivotally connected by a through pin H2, to the shaft IM. The arrangement is such that when the actuating shaft 96 is pushed to the right the shaft Iffl will pivot clockwise about its pivot pin 65 to a raised position indicated at Ilh. The actuating rod et and the shaft IEA cooperate to actuate a coin dumping mechanism will now be explained.

Referring to Figures l, 2 and 23 a pair of semicircular plates IIS and III? are disposed as best shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a plane adjacent the bottom of the cylindrical window b9. They have mating edges along a diameter indicated at H5 in Figure 23, disposed vertically above the shaft itil. The diameter oi the assembled plates H3 and ll is such that they maire a horizontal closure adjacent the bottom of the window 89, for supporting coins or tokens for inspection.

A pair of angl members Il@ have their horizontal legs aixed, as by spotnwelding, to the underside of plate IIS adjacent its diametrical edge, and their vertical legs pivotally mounted upon the shaft IM, so that the plate IIB is pivotally mounted for rotation about shaft |64. Similarly the other plate I ill has pair of angle brackets Ill with their horizontal legs secured to its bottom surface and its vertical legs pivotally mounted upon shaft Hifi. The arrangement is such that, without further support the outer or rounded edges of plates H3 and Il@ would drop, with sli-ait iG/l as the pivot, and there would be a substantial gap along the diameter lili of the plates.

The plates are maintained in horizontal position by a pair of elongated studs or supporting arms H3 and IIS rigidly secured to the shorter and upwardly extending arms (Fig. 2) of the pair of bell cranks ll, the arms I lli and I I9 extending horizontally and outwardly from the planes of the bell cranks is?. I'v'hen the knob m3 is pushed in by the operator, the shaft H34 is raised to the position indicated in dot-dash lines at Iilt in Figures l and 2. The pivot pin I will be raised with respect to the two supporting arms I I8 and IIS) and the plates 53 and Ile1 will be raised so that their diameter IE5 will be parallel with the new position of shaft Ill at it. This will result in the plates ii and lid pivoting about shaft :'64 as indicated by their dot-dash line positions indicated at H30, and lisa Figure l while at the saine time they will slope in a direction corresponding to the slope of shaft m4 when raised to the position shown at I S6.

Thus each plate i i3 and l i4 slopes in two directions away frorn the horizontal, so that the coins which had been retained for inspection through the window 88 are dumped into the fare box singling, registering and sorting mechanism, as will be described.

Each of the two plates H3 and 14 is recessed along its mating edge on the diameter H5 as indicated at 123 and lZll in Fig, 23. An elongated plate i 25 is secured as by spot Welding to the top surface of plate lli and completely bridges the gap formed by the recesses E23 and E24 when the plates H3 and Hl are in their normal or horizontal position. As best shown in Figure l, this plate E25 also assures that when the plates H3 and l Hi are in their raised position the coins will slide either to the right or left, and will not remain supported by the diametrical edges of plates H3 and H4, or fall between them, into the mechanism that raises or lowers them.

When the knob H33 is released, the spring Hit will return the actuating rod 95 to the left to its normal position, whereupon shaft 56d will resume its horizontal position and the supporting arms H8 and HS will again support the plates l i3 and l Id in horizontal position. It will be understood that even in the raised position of shaft it, these supporting arms H and H9 limit the pivotal movement of the plates H3 and il@ about shaft ltd.

As described in the copending application Serial No. 186,054 nled September 21, 1950 by Fount F. Daugherty for Fare Box with Grab Handle the four equally spaced handles t@ provide grips for passengers who are standing or for those who may be passing the fare box when the vehicle starts.

A light bulb 29 mounted within a reflector l 32 secured to the top portion of the cabinet E@ illuminates the tiltable plates i l 3 and i l t and any coins that are resting thereon.

Figure 2 shows three windows lli-3, itil and E35 in the side of the cabinet 59, through which are visible the numeral wheels of three counter assemblies indicated generally by the numerals l 36, |31 and 53E. These counter assemblies are actuated automatically by the fare box, as will be explained, to register respectively the totals of small tokens, coins and large tokens. A plate 13S carries legends indicating the specic items registered by the counter assemblies.

The front of the cabinet 53 has an elongated window i 42 through which are visible two counter assemblies M3 and U54 (see also Fig. 3) which are selectively actuated by the manual depression of either of a pair of levers M and Hit protruding from the front oi the cabinet. These counters and actuators are of any conventional type wherein the single depression of a lever actuates its respective counter to add a single numeral to the previous total. A plate it? is secured to the frame of the machine as by screws M8 (Fig. 4) and masks all of the discs and numbers of the counters except for one row number of each, which rows are visible through the aforesaid window M2.

Protruding from the bottom portion of the front wall of the cabinet 5@ is a change maker identined generally by the numeral U59. The particular construction of the change maker is unimportant as long as it has one vertical coin receiving barrel for each diameter of coin or token that may be handled, registered and sorted by the fare boX. The change maker receives the sorted coins from the fare box, and stores them for the use of the vehicle operator or conductor. The particular change maker illustrated in the drawings is similar to that shown in the U. S. Patent 2,338,576 issued January 4, 1944 to Fount F. Daugherty, and need not be further described here, except that in the present instance there are six coin receiving barrels 152-15? (Fig. l) instead of four as shown in the Patent 2,338,576.

As best shown in Fig. 14, and also in Fig. 1 the upper ends of the barrels EEE-i5? are received in an elongated casting 53. This casting has a pair of downwardly inclined surfaces its and i6@ (Fig. 14) extending across the upper ends of the barrels $5245? and serving to guide coins to the open top ends of the barrels after they have been discharged from the sorter mechanism. The casting 58 is secured to the machine frame as by screws i E3 (Fig. 14) and has side walls l 54 and ci the configuration shown in Fig. le with transverse recesses it along its upper edge. Between the side walls ld and lEi5 are a series of dividing walls it? (Fig. 1) all having the same configuration as the side walls ll and 65, and having the function of guiding the sorted coins to their proper barrel after they have been dropped from the sorter, as will be understood. The casting 58 has a forwardly and upwardly flaring front wall les providing another series of chutes by which coins may be deposited into their proper barrels by hand, as after the operator has made change or the like, A cover plate i6@ is hinged at its ends to the casting 58 by screws il@ (Fig. 14.), the recesses H65 in the top edges of the side and dividing walls providing clearance for the upper edge of the cover plate iBS when it is raised. The cover plate is provided with a series of coin slots il directly over each of the barrels EZ-l 57 so that the operator may deposit coins or tokens into their proper barrels, each of the slots H3 being of proper length to pass the proper coin. The cover plate also has an elongated window El@ through which the operator may watch the coins sorted by the fare box pass downwardly to their proper barrels.

As will be explained, pushing in the knob E03, besides actuating the mechanism to dump the coins from the plates l i3 and lili, also serves to initiate operation of the motor that actuates the fare box. A main switch H5 (Figs, 5, 7 and 10) is secured as byscrews H6 to a vertical leg l l? integral with and extending downwardly from an inverted pyramidal coin hopper llt. The switch has an actuating pin l 'F9 (Fig. '7) that is normally urged outwardly by an internal spring (not shown) to close the switch. The switch is opened by pushing in the in il@ against the action of the internal spring. A leaf spring 52 is suitably secured at its lower end to the body of the switch H5 so that the spring 582 extends substantially vertically upwards, in contact with the outer end of the actuating pin HS and through a rectangular opening E83 in the wall ci the coin hopper HS, to a point above the upper edge of the hopper where its free upper end bears against a stud i815 (Fig. 2) carried by and extending downwardly from the actuating rod SS. The internal spring in the switch H5 is strong enough to push the leaf spring away from the switch to close the switch when the rod 9E is moved to the right in Fig. 2, consequently carrying the stud tt to the right. However, the return spring it@ on rod S6 moves the rod back to the left when the knob i 63 is released, and the stud i Sli will push the leaf spring E82 back to overcome the internal spring in switch H5, push the pin il' in, and open the switch. Care must be taken, when placing the cabinet 56 upon the fare box frame, that the knob i @E is pushed in while lowering the cabinet, to assure that the stud 18E; will lie to the right of the leaf spring |82 as viewed in Figure 2. The

top wall of the hopper is recessed as shown at |35 in Figs. 3 and 6 to assure clearance for rod 96.

The aforesaid inverted pyramdal hopper |18 is disposed directly beneath the coin reception and inspection receptacle formed by the cylindrical window G9 and the plates I I3 and I I4. The upper edge of the hopper will lie closely adjacent the inner surface of the frusto-pyramidal t'op of the cabinet, and an endless gasket (not shown) is advantageously secured as by cement, to the inner surface of the cabinet top wall to seal the space between that wall and the top edge of the hopper.

On one side, the hopper has means forming a fare passage or discharge chute formed partly by a bottom wall |86 (Figs. 3, 6 and 8) that is in effect a partial continuation of the oppositely disposed hopper wall |81. The chute has side walls |38 and |39 sufficiently spaced so as to allow large coins, such as quarters, to pass down the chute to the coin singling and gaging device which will be described later.

The chute side and bottom walls terminate at their bottoms in an integral member forming a platform |22 which when secured to the machine frame, holds the hopper in place by means of screws |93, |94 and |95. These screws, besides passing through the platform |92, pass through spaced guide plates |99 and |91 (Fig. 13) through a coin plate |98 (Figs. 5 and 13) and through spacing washers 2312, 2E3 and 2M, and are threaded into a horizontal member 205 of the internal frame 5|, the spacing washers serving to position the coin plate |88, the guide plates, and the hopper |18 at the proper elevation with respect to the internal frame.

The sloping walls of the hopper direct coins to the aforesaid chute, as will be understood. Means are provided to agitate the coins in the hopper so that they will fall into the chute, the same means serving to reject from the chute those articles which exceed a predetermined thickness, such as a button, or a coin which is bent or deformed to such a degree that it might jam the coin singling and sorting apparatus. This agitating and rejecting means, in the illustrated embodiment, is in the form of a rubber wheel 208 having a pair of spaced toothed sections 206 and 261. The wheel is secured to a rotating shaft 209 by a set screw (not shown). and 8 the peripheries oi the two toothed sections 213 and el are but slightly spaced from the bottom wall |26 of the chute, and are driven at high speed in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6. The clearance between the sections 2% and 261 and the bottom wall |35 is such that bent coins, buttons, slugs or other articles that are so thick as to jam the sorting mechanism, will not be able to pass the wheel 2il8, but instead will be thrown back up into the hopper. Also, stacked coins cannot pass in the wheel because the thickness of two of even the thinnest coins will be too great for passage beneath the wheel, and the upper one will be thrown back up into the hopper. A shield 2 I2 covers the upper end of the coin chute above the rubber wheel 208, to form a continuation of the hopper wall 2|3 (Fig. 3). The shield has a linger 2|4 that projects into the space between the toothed sections of the rubber wheel. Thus the shield 2I2 with its finger 2|4 assure that coins will not drop into the coin chute without rst falling into the hopper and then passingbeneath the rubber wheel 208.

As each coin passes beneath the rubber Wheel As best shown in Figs. 6

10 2|l8 it is arrested momentarily by a contact 2|5 (Fig. 6) that protrudes vertically through a hole 2|6 in the chute bottom wall |86. This contact is automatically depressed with every coin singling stroke of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13, thereby releasing the coin that is arrested by the contact.

The motor and drive shaft The fare box is powered by an electric motor 2|@ (Fig. 19) suitably secured to the bottom of the internal frame 5I. The motor has a reduction gear box which journals the lower end of a vertical output shaft 22| (Fig. 20) which passes through a housing 222 and carries adjacent its upper end a triple toothed circular ratchet 223 (Fig. 20). A driven shaft 224 is mounted coaxially above the motor output shaft 22|, being journalled in a pair of horizontal internal frame members 225 and 226. The driven shaft 224 is releasably connected to the motor shaft 22| by a clutch mechanism now to be described.

Secured to but rotatable upon the lower end of the driven shaft 224, where it adjoins the upper end of shaft 22| and the ratchet 223, is a plate 221, best shown in Figs. 20 and 21, having a spiral periphery that includes one radial lip or notch 228 forming a stop. A semi-circularly curved plate 229 (Fig. 20) is secured to the bottom of the plate 221 by a pivot pin 232 so that the curved plate lies against the under surface of plate 221 and can rotate about pin 232. This rotational movement is limited by a pin 233 fixed to the upper plate 221 and protruding through a short slot 234 in the pivoted plate 229. The free end of pivoted plate 229 is thereby limited to a movement between its full line position shown in Fig. 20 and the dotted line position shown at 229e. The pivoted plate 229 has at its free end a radial lip 235, which when the plate 229 is in its dotted line position 229e, is coplanar with the radial lip 22S of the plate 221.

A bell-crank shaped pawl having legs 236 and 231 is pivotally secured to the bottom of plate 221 by a pin 233. A tension spring 239, secured to the pin 233 and to a pin 242 on the pawl, urges the pawl counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 2i) so that the outer end of its leg 23e is in the path of the teeth on the ratchet 223. The spring 239 is suiiciently strong to cause the leg 231 of the pawl to exert a camming action on the iree end portion of plate 229 to normally maintain the plate 229 in its full line position shown in Fig. 2D. It will be apparent that under these conditions there is a positive drive connection between the motor shaft 22| and the plate 221. This drive can be disconnected by rotating the plate 229 counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 20 so that by a camming action it overcomes the acttion of the spring 239 and rotates the pawl clockwise, thereby moving its leg 235 to the dotted line position 23Go where it is out of the path of the teeth on the ratchet 223.

Referring to Fig. 19 a bell cra-nl; having legs 243 and 244 is pivot-ally secured to a member 245 of the internal frame by a pivot 236. A tension spring 241 urges the bell crank clockwise as viewed in Fig. 19, against a stop member 248 secured to the frame as by a screw NF. As shown in Fig. 2|), the end of the crank arm 243 lies in a vertical plane in the path of the radial lip 235 on curved plate 229 and the radial lip 228 or stop on the plate 221, when the crank arm 243 is in the fully raised position shown in Fig. 19. Thus, assuming that the ratchet and pawl are in driving engagement, in their clockwise rota- 

